Magnetic resonance imaging is increasingly being used by physicians for diagnostic purposes. In the last several years, in particular, cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and MRS have become increasingly capable in terms of functionality, yet affordable due to hardware and software improvements, particularly those associated with image acquisition.
In order to acquire a clear cardiac image without motion artifacts, however, the activation of the acquisition sequence must be precisely correlated with the beginning of each cardiac cycle. Although cardiac triggering devices currently exist in the field of nuclear magnetic resonance, such devices suffer from currents which are induced by the dynamic field resulting from gradients used in the acquisition phase. As there is a trend toward higher magnetic fields, and stronger gradients, this problem of induced currents is worsening, and must, therefore, be addressed.